The Chief Constable of South Yorkshire accused the families of Hillsborough victims of lying days before the report into the disaster was published in September, it emerged last night.

David Crompton sent an e-mail that said: “Their version of certain events has become ‘the truth’ even though it isn’t.”

He has apologised for any offence caused, but has not specified what falsehoods he was referring to.

The e-mail was sent to Andy Holt, his assistant chief constable, and Mark Thompson, the force’s head of media, on September 8, four days before the Hillsborough Independent Panel report was published. It was